Electric relay system



Jan. 30, 1945. c. P. CLARE 2,368,201

ELECTRIC RELAY SYSTEM Original Filed Jan. 4, 1941' Ana-- 1 I I; Fir- 4;

7 Iss- 7- 48 f) INVENTOR. I Gel/v6 (wan c0 Patented Jan. 30, 1945anaemic RELAY SYSTEM Carlal. Clare, Arlingtonfleiglits, 111., auignor to0. P. Clare and 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Originalapplication January 4. 1941. Serial No. 373,173. Divided and applicationMI! 31, 1941, Serial No. 396,141

40mm. (:01. lie-1 26) My invention relates broadly to relays and moreparticularly to an electric relay system for usein remote controlsystems.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 373,173,filed January 4, 1941,

ior Electric relay system.

One or the objects of my invention is to provide an electric relay foroperation in a remote control system by which various circuitpermutations and combinations may be efiected and in addition arepeating warning signal may be controlled by the relay system.

Another object oi my invention is to provide an electric relaycomprising a solenoid and moving armature system adapted to control amultiplicity of sets of spring contacts, one set of which is arranged inthe control circuit to the solenoid winding and in which the armature ismechanical and electrical forces are employed to effect repeated makeand break operations of the sets of spring contacts for effecting thetransmission of a warning si nal of predetermined characteristic.

Still another object of my'invention is to provide a construction oielectric relay employing a solenoid winding and a weighted armaturehaving means for imparting make and break move- 4 ment to a multiplicitysets of spring contact members in a spring pile-up where one of the setsof contact members is arranged in series with the control circuit to thesolenoid winding and the inertia of the weighted armature employed forlimiting the movement of the armature with respect' to the spring plleup to repeated short strokes for impressing a warning signal ofpredetermined characteristics from a source to a control circuit throughother sets of the spring contact members. I

' A further object 01 my invention is to provide a construction ofelectric relay including a core structure, an operating winding, amovable armature controlled thereby and a spring pile-up including amultiplicity of sets of contact members, one set of which is disposed inseries with the solenoid winding wherein electrical and mechanicalforces are introduced upon excitation of the solenoid winding to causerapid repeat movementsof the armature and corresponding ating winding, amovable armature and a spring pile-up assembly having means for normallyexerting a restoring force on the movable armature, and including meansfor electrically controlling the operating time of the winding andmechanically controlling the inertia oi the movable armature so that theflux cycle in the magnetic parts may be regulated to control atcomparatively high speed the operation of the spring pile-up assemblyupon application of a continu ous current to the relay winding forcontrolling throughthe pile-up assembly the application of current ofpredetermined characteristic to a control circuit.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in an arrangement ofelectric relay system having means for controlling the operating andcharacterized by such inertia that combined rapid make and breakoperations oi the sets 01 5 contact members, and certain of whichcontrol the application of a power source of predeterminedcharacteristic toa control circuit.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an electric relaysystem including an operrelease time of the magnetic system 01' therelay as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter followingby reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing the construction of theelectric relay employed in the electric relay system of my invention,parts being broken away and illustrated in section for more clearlyillustrating my invention, the view being shown with the armature innormal position with a normal restoring 'force exerted thereon by thespring pile-up; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the electric relaysystem illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the armature moved to operatingposition and illustrating the displacement of the contact members undercontrol of the movement 0! the armature; Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofthe electric relay illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a verticaltransverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is avertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 ofFig. 1; Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the weighted armature,the lever arm associated therewith and the bearing for pivotallymounting the armature; and Fig. 7 is a applicable in aircraft traillccontrol and navigation systems -in which an operator in a remoteposition with respect to a transmitting ground station is required tonotify aircraft that a broadcast is about to commence. The operator inthe remote control station may dial a particular digit on the remotecontrol mechanism at the control station and then hold down thesignalling key and in accordance with the system of my invention eflectthe transmission of warning signals at a rate of approximately eight persecond on any selected audio tone frequency such as 1,020 cycles. Thewarning signals at 1,020 cycles are transmitted so long as the controloperator holds the control. key closed, thereby advising the pilots ofaircraft that a broadcast is about to commence. This method oftransmission has proven highly effective in the transmission of weather,emergency, traffic and other information to aircraft in a particulararea. However, the relay of my invention is not limited to thisparticular application and is applicable to signalling systems generallyin which a calling.

signal of predetermined characteristic is to be transmitted in advanceof the signalling operation. The relay of my invention also hasapplication to the transmission of signals of particular tones forcontrolling of start-stop functions for the motor circuits of facsimileand printing telegraph systems and for the starting and stopping of theauxiliary control circuits of television equipment by remote control.

The drawing shows the mechanical construction of the relay system of myinvention. The relay is shown mounted upon any suitable base 88 by meansof a bracket 84 secured to the base by suitable means 65. The corestructure 44 is provided with spool head 88 formed from insulationmaterial and recessed at opposite sides thereof for the passage ofterminals 81. Winding insulators 88 and 88, blanked from hard rubbersheet, free of acid and alkali, form end members between which the turnsof the operating winding 48 are wound over the tubular base ofinsulation material such as heavy empire cloth 18. The turns of winding48 are protected by a wrapping of insulation material indicated at H.The slow operatin control slug is indicated at 45 abutting against thedisc-like winding insulation 68. The slug 45 is generally formed fromcopper which is toroidal in shape and forms a solid short circuitingring immediately in the flux of the magnetic field of winding 48 andintroduces predetermined eddy cufrrent losses controlling the electricaltime period of operation of the solenoid. The copper slug is off-setsufficiently from the end of the core 44 to allow the magnetic linesfrom core 44 to readily thread the magnetic path through the movablearmature 46, the heavy duty bearing member 12 and the magnetic frame 13which is integral with the magnetic heelpiece 14 which is secured to theend of the magnetic cor 44; to facilitate formation of the heelpiece l4integral with the frame 18, a portion of frame 13 is removed adjacentthe end of the frame as indicated at 13a. The heelpiece 14 is secured bysuitable screws I5 to the upper portion of the bracket 64. The magneticpath is limited to the core 44, armature 46, bearing member 12, frame 13and heelpiece 14 by reason of the insulation member 18 disposed betweenthe heelpiece 14 and the bracket 64 and by the bushings of insulationmaterial indicated at 11 which center the securing means 15 away frombracket 84. The apertures in bracket 84 for the passage of terminals 61are leaf spring 52 is transferred through couplings.

6i and 82 to leafsprings 53 and 55. Thustha of such size as will permitthe passage of terminals 61 without contact with bracket 84.

The armature 48 is centrally aperturcd at 18 for the passage of screw 19which enters the end of weight 88, securing weight 48 to the movablearmature and thereby introducing predetermined inertia in the movementof th armature. Weight 48 is in the shape of an extended rod forming alever arm which controls the angular movement of armature 48 about thepivot 41. The pivot 41 comprises a rod member which passes through thelugs 480 on armature 48 and is journaledin the heavy duty sleevebearings II which fit within the cylindrical recesses 12a in bearingmember 12. These heavy duty bearings constitute self-lubricating meansfor journaling the armature which because of the rapid and repeatingoperation of the armature in this particular class of relay requires amuch more substantial bearing than is customary. The bearing member 12is recessed at 12b and is slotted at 12c, permitting the passage ofscrew 82 therethrough and through yieldable washer 88. Washer 83 has alug 83a thereon which extends into a centering aperture 13b retainingthe washer 83 in a fixed position with respect to screw 82. Thisarrangement permits adjustment of the position of the pivot 41 of thearmature and control of the special relation of the armature 46 withrespect to the end of the magnetic core 44 by loosening screw 82 andallowing bearing 12 to be moved forward or backward with slots 12cembracing opposite sides of screw 82 while washer 83 is maintained in afixed position by engagement of lug 83a in aperture13b of frame 13.

The spring pile-up assembly 50 is constituted by the leaf spring membersand associated contacts as heretofore explained where the leaf springmembers are secured in stacked arrange ment by means of screws 84 whichpass through top plate and the insulation and spacer plates indicated at86 assembled on opposite sides of leaf springs 5|, 52, 58, 54, 55 and 56as shown. The screws 84 also pass through the plate member 81 which isprovided with a. stop arm 88 thereon which projects the path of thelever arm 48 forming an abu ment stop for lever arm 48 and thus limitingthe normal unoperated position of armature 48 as shown in Fig. l. Theend 'of lever arm 49 has an upstanding pin 88 thereon forming a seat foran insulated button 80 which serves as the engagement means for the endof the lever arm with leaf spring 52. As indicated in Fig. 1 theinsulated button normally rests against leaf spring 52, the contacts Sidand 520, being closed while the contacts in the remaining portions ofthe spring pile-up assembly are open as represented in Fig. l. However,in the energized conditions of the winding 43, armature 48 moves to theposition shown in Fig. 2 opening contacts 5la and 52a and closing thecircuits between the contacts carried by the set of leaf springsconstituted by 53 and 54 and also the set of contacts constituted by theleaf springs 55 and 56 by reason of the coupled relation of the leafsprings through bushings Bi and 62 as shown in Figs. 1, 2' and 3. Itwill be seen in referring particularly to Fig. 5 that insulated bushingSi is firmly riveted to leaf spring 53 while the somewhat longer bushing62 is firmly riveted to leaf spring 55. Accordingly, movement impartedthrough insulated button 90 to self-interrupting circuit .to the winding4 is operated at the same time that the control cirtrical influenceintroduced by slug 45 to enable operating windin 43 while energized froma continuously applied source to cause the controlled circuit connectedthroughsets of contact springs 53, 54, 55 audit to alternately connectand. disconnect a source of control potential to the circult to be"controlled. The rate at which this control is applied is readilycontrollable by changing the character ofslug 45 and the effective mass48, schematically illustrated in Fig. '7.

The flux density increases and decreases in the magnetic systemaccording to time, the flux building up during the make period ofcontacts m and 52a and decreasing ,to a condition where it commences toincrease again before the flux cycle through the magnetic parts has beencompleted. The influence ofslug 45 in the example illustrated is suchthat the flux cycle increases through a time period represented by aunit of time while the decrease in flux takes place over a fourth of theincrease time. The self-interruption effected by the breaking of thecircuit through winding '43 by contacts Sla and 52a produces arepetition of alternate increases and decreases of the flux cycle. Inorder to increase the rate of make and break of the spring pile-upsystem the mass 48 is. added to armature 46. The time period for initialbuild-up of the magnetic flux is now one unit of time compared to atenth of the time for decrease of flux. The flux cycle is not completedbut repeats in a series of substantially saw-tooth curves until thecontrolling current is removed. During this pein the relay arrangementand while I have described my invention in certain preferredembodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may bemade and I intend no limitation upon my invention other than may beimposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

1. An electric relay system comprising a magnetic frame, a magnetic coremounted on said frame, an actuating winding carried by said core anddisposed in a self-interrupting exciting circuit,. a member bifurcatedon one end and having journalling means on the other end, adjustablemeans passing through the bifurcated end of said member and engagingsaid frame for selectively fixing said member in a. predeterminedposition with respect to the end of said frame, an armature pivotallymounted in the journalling means in said member adjacent one end of saidcore, means armature and extending normally therefrom along an axisaligned with the axis of said core and constituting a weighted lever armfor= determining the inertia of the armature in proportion to themagnetization of the relay for inducing a characteristic periodicmovement of the armature, the weight-of said rod member beingcounterbalanced by said spring means associated with the pivotalmounting of the arms.- ture.

2. An electric relay system comprising-a magnetic frame, a magnetic coremounted on said frame, an electromagnetic actuating winding mounted onsaid core and disposed in a selfinterrupting exciting circuit, aslidable member supported 'on the end of saidmagnetlc frame, j v if saidmemberbeing bifurcated on one end and having journalling means on theother end, the bifurcated end of said member being countersunk, aclamping device retained in position with respect to said frame andadjustably engageable 0 teristic periodic movement of the armature un-'der control of said magnetic core, and spring.

, supported on the end of said magnetic frame and with the countersunkportion of said member for selectively adjusting said member throughouta limited range to a predetermined position on said frame, an' armaturepivotally mounted in the journalling means on said slidable member andoperable under control of said magnetic core, spring means for limitingthe displacement 'of said armature, a. rod member fastened to saidarmature and extending normal therefrom along an axis aligned with theaxis of said core and constituting a weighted mass for fixing theinertia of the armature in proportion to the magnetiz-ation of the relayfor inducing a charac means for counterbalancing the mass of saidarmature and normally maintaining said arselectively adjustablethroughout a limited range to apredetermined position on said frame 'aclamping member secured to said frame and adjustable toclampsaid'slidable member in selected position with respect to the endof said core, an armature pivotally mounted on said slidable member andoperable-under control of saidmagnetic core, spring means for limitingthe displacement of said armature, a rod member conforming in section tothe section of said core and fastened to said armature and extendingnormal therefrom along an axis aligned with the axis of said core andconstituting a weighted mass for fixing the inertia of the armature inproportion to the magnetization of the relay for inducing a,characteristic periodic movement of the armature under control of saidmagnetic core, and spring means for counter-balancing the mass of saidarmature and normally maintaining said armature in a remote displacedposition with respect to said magnetic core.

for limiting the displacement oi" said arma-Js 4. An electric relaysystem comprising a magnetic frame, a magnetic core mounted on saidframe, an electromagnetic actuating .windlng 4 a,ses,ao1

mounted on said core and disposed in a selfinterrupting excitingcircuit, a slidable member supported on the end of said magnetic frameand selectively adjustable throughout va. limited range to apredetermined position securing said rod member to said armature in aposition extending normal to the plane of the armature and along an axisaligned with the axis of said core, said rod member constituting aweighted distributed mass for fixing the inertia of the armature inproportion to the magnetization of the relay for inducing acharacteristic periodic movement of the armature, and spring means forcounterbalancing the mass of said ar- 10 mature when said armature isdisplaced to the maximum limit of movement of the armature with respectto said core.

CARL P. CLARE.

